Cetra Reunion
by Sabin Figaro
Summary: After the dust settles from the attack by Meteor, Aeris is brought back to the light by a mysterious man. Rufus is found, alive in the ruins of Midgar, and the quest to save the world begins again!
1. Angelic Memory

Cetra Reunion: Prologue 

**_Angelic Memory_**

_Copyrighted to Astian Leslie Hannan. 2004._

_Disclaimer: The characters contained within this fanfic, Cetra Reunion, are entirely fictitious and in no way resemble people in real life. All resemblences are entirely coincidental. Square-Enix owns all rights to the characters and locations of Final Fantasy VII. All other characters and locations belong to me._

_Author's Notes: Here is the very first chapter of my Final Fantasy VII fanfiction. This is one of my first official attempts at one, and I think that so far it has come out well. I am currently in overhaul mode, editing the original chapters until they are to my liking, before continuing the story into the future. And let me tell you, there is much to expect. Much, much more! Enjoy!_

* * *

The sun was setting slowly in the west, and in its progress, cast its warm caressing rays across the vista that only a god should behold. A valley, deep in age, set beyond a mystic forest locked by song. An ancient harp's rhyme could stir it to life, and it had been done before within the listening range of Bone Village. Those who had heard it had been sent into a deep slumber whilst the forest had stirred to life.

Now, once again, hard and rough looking men, soiled from the excavations they had been carrying out, were resting, some still with tools in hand, snoring a symphony of fitful rest to the heavens. The forest was awash in afternoon sunlight and swayed to the tune it had recently been played. A man had just passed through here, the Earth Harp he had used to awaken the forest, carelessly cast aside under the bough of a great oak. Afternoon shadows played across the ground, waltzing with the trees. Everything sang of life. Of what had been and of what was to come.

The frail looking, battered old man limped down through the narrow ravine, lined on either side by high cliffs full of glistening, dry coral that reflected the light in a rainbow spectrum that dazzled the mind. The man paid it no heed. Large stalks of rose pearl reached towards the light on either side of the ravine, amidst the cliffs and beyond, in the small clearing set away from the ruins of an ancient city that had not seen life in years. Delicate crystalline branches stretched across the narrow passage, filtering the sunlight through in dappled rays that danced across the rock strewn earth.

The man slowed as he approached the crystal blue lake in the centre of the clearing. Beyond it and reaching half into the water was a large spiraled conch shell with sharp protrusions that looked almost oddly like a staircase that was used in days past. It now lay in a stage of decay and the once strong material was now brittle to the touch. Many holes populated the shells surface and half of the protrusions were snapped off at various intervals. The shell like structure had once served as the great hall for the Ancients – the Cetra, a race of beings who were entrusted with the continuity of the Planet and its good health. Though they had failed.

He shuffled to the waters edge, and removed his sandals. The water upon his bare feet was cold yet refreshing. It almost reminded him of home. He shook his head and focused upon the task at hand. The man knelt beside the water and viewed his reflection, solemnly. A face worn by sun and weather, ravaged by time became clear to him. The changes were irrevocable, contorted beyond regular recognition.

Under a weathered and wrinkled brow, green eyes full of wisdom stared back. His nose was long and fine and rode above lips both thin and cracked. A mat of spindly hair rose from his head, dirty and matted. A monocle made of gold sat before his right eye, linked to a fine golden chain that ran behind his ear and attached to the back of his collar. The lens was missing, and the frame of the object was contorted and didn't even sit straight anymore. The only reason he wore it at all was because it was a gift. A gift, given in love, by his dear wife – Ifalna. Oh, Ifalna. He shook his head, a way to break the painful memory, and set his resolves. He was going to do this, no matter what. He splashed some water onto his face and scrubbed his hand over it a few times, bidding the memories be gone.

The man stood and looked around once before lifting his tattered sleeve to reveal a thick metallic armlet that completely engulfed his thin wrist. Set into the metal at regular intervals were small cavities, circular in shape. He drew a translucent purple orb -- Materia -- from his pocket and gently pushed it into one such cavity. The armlet embraced the Materia warmly and it began to glow and pulsate almost akin to the beat of the man's heart. Satisfied with the result, the man let his arm drop allowing the sleeve to fall back into place. With one more, quick scan of the surroundings, the man nodded and was ready.

With resolves set he stepped into the water and moved out across a rock shelf, towards the seemingly depthless blue beyond. The water was cold against his slender frame, and his clothes were instantly soaked to the waist before he reached his destination. The discomfort seemed worth it though. He assessed the situation and took note of the fact that he would only have 20 minutes to lay claim to his prize, else he would die with it. Bungenhagen, the late astrologist of Cosmo Canyon had left him a letter informing him of where he could collect his prize. And it was most definitely here, beneath the crystal branches of the coral trees lost with the Forgotten City. The Materia in his armlet would allow him to breathe the water as if it were air, but due to the pressure of the depths, the magical orb would only work for twenty minutes, and then lose its power. There would be no time for admiring the beauty of the deep. The man muttered to himself before he took that final, blind step that would begin his decent.

"My beloved daughter, I come for you."

The water closed about him as his broken form began its drop to the depths of the lake. Slowly he began his agonizing decent which was one that had been taken before him, though in death. He released his last breathe and reluctantly took a shallow one of the water, slowly growing to larger, more efficient ones upon the realization of his safety and the reality that he actually could breath underwater. It was a strange sensation, to breathe water through one's nostrils and have it instantly turned to oxygen before it reached the lungs. It was an alien feeling, something that seemed not of this Planet at all.

Finally his feet reached the floor bed of the lake, sending up a small puff of silt in a circular radius around him. Colourful fish scattered at this alien presence, causing a kaleidoscope of colours that engrossed the viewer. The old man shook it off and began his search for his lost daughter. Glimmering coral reflected the sunlight that was able to penetrate the surface of the water, giving the area a dim light that he could barely see by. But with it, he quickly located his prize.

Lying on the sea bed, amidst the swaying reeds, the pale form of a woman rested, arms flung out beside her. Her chestnut hair danced with the reeds, about her slender form. The man knelt before her and took a moment to study her as he brushed a stray thread of hair away from her calm oval face. Her eyes were closed and her expression was one of peace. It was as if she had died of a natural cause, rather than the actual murder that was dealt to her. She had delicate features. A small narrow nose and tiny rosebud lips which were currently pale and drawn. Upon her right wrist was a golden bangle, and her clothing was of complimenting shades of pink. Brown leather boots covered her feet, and boy would they smell when she emerged. She seemed fatigued, but that was to be expected, considering she was dead. A large tear was drawn across her stomach, the material ripped cleanly, as if by a sharp blade. It told the tale of her death in so many unspoken words. The girl had been such an exuberant girl of many wonders. But now…

A frown played across the man's lips as he scooped the weightless woman into his arms and stood. He pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead and pushed off the floor bed with his feet. The change in pressure, within the water, propelled him and his daughter to the surface.

_Damn the Shinra and all affiliated with them!_

He soon effortlessly broke the surface of the lake and paddled his way to the shore, with his burden in hand. The effort of emerging from the water and stumbling a safe distance from the lake exhausted him and he collapsed beside his daughter. Internally he cried for the girl that he never got to really know. Externally he wheezed, attempting to catch his breath, his tear ducts all dried up from past traumatic experiences. He reaffixed his equipment, returned the Materia to his pocket and knelt over his daughter. His gaze drank her in. Oh, how she had changed. The man took a shuddering breath and made a promise.

"Aeris, my daughter, I will bring you back to me. Just relax and you will return to flesh once more. The one who has taken you away from me will pay dearly. And mark my words! The Shinra _will_ fall, for reducing I, Professor Gast, to a mere old beggar!"

With the finality of the words ringing true throughout the ancient place, he once more scooped his burden up and began the trek back to his transport.


	2. Of Living Truth

Cetra Reunion: Chapter 1

**Of Living Truth**

_Copyrighted to Astian Leslie Hannan. 2004._

_Disclaimer: The characters contained within this fanfic, Cetra Reunion, are entirely fictitious and in no way resemble people in real life. All resemblances are entirely coincidental. Square-Enix owns all rights to the characters and locations of Final Fantasy VII. All other characters and locations belong to me._

_Author's Notes: In this chapter we see Rufus found by a squad unit of ShinRa, that survived the attack of Meteor. They are searching the rubble for any survivors of the tragedy. What they find is more than what they expected. Read on._

* * *

A small, almost inaudible sigh escaped the lips of the scrawny man who lay under a pile of rubble. Dirty and delusional, this man had not seen the light of day since the moment he had ended up here. Of course, that was not surprising, in the least. Though he had to commend the infernal creature that had sent him to this shallow grave, for in doing so it had actually extended his life. Meteor, which had wrecked havoc on the upper levels of Midgar, had only managed to destroy that which resided above the plates. The destruction had missed those that had retreated to the slums. Who ever would have thought that the derelict section of Midgar could become so useful. It was a miracle he was still alive.

However, there was nothing good about the situation that he could fondly regard. Another painful gasp escaped his lips and racked his body. He could feel the damage to his body. It felt as if he would never see the light of day again. Despair had hit him numerous times, as he had remained trapped down here. Yet not once had he wept.

His legs had been crushed under steel plates that had fallen from above. His chest had been pinned to the ground by a crossbeam that had fallen from above landing on top of him, crushing the air from his lungs. He considered himself to be quite lucky indeed. At least he wasn't dead… yet. But he knew death would come for him eventually. There was no way he could possibly survive down here for a prolonged period of time without sustenance to sustain his prime motor functions.

The man could feel his body shutting itself down. His breathing came in small shallow breaths. It had been a week since he had ended up down here. The only reason he was still alive was due partly to the fact that some pipe that had supplied the plates with water had burst under the attack and was showering down around him, allowing him to partake in its essence. It would soon come to an end though, as the water supply dwindled. Everything came to an end eventually, even life.

The man's mind turned once more back to the events that were prelude to his imprisonment by a city that he had taken advantage of. The images were so clear that he could recall each and every detail without fault. It all came back to him…

…A voice bellowed through the loud speaker to the right of the office desk located high up in the ceiling.

"Sir, we have a problem!" a voice boomed.

The president of the ShinRa Electric Power Company sighed; the voice belonged to none other than Heideggar, the head of the warfare department and the Turks. He delayed his response, pondering what his reply should be. The President's slender finger found the intercom button and pressed it, the slight pressure draining the blood from beneath his neatly trimmed nail.

"Yes? What is it?" the president asked. Annoyance laced his tone. The fat man on the other end had experienced first had the consequence of irking the young man. And soon, he would suffer once more.

"…The north… can't … see? Weapon … way. Gya-ha-ha!" the connection went faulty and dropped out as lights flickered in the building. A slight tremor alerted him to a potential earthquake or something worse. The north? What could that idiot possibly have been speaking of? He brushed a hand through his hair in agitation and strode over to the window.

At first his reflection off the polished window greeted him and he had to strain to see past his irresistible form. It eventually became clear. Far in the distance, yet looming quite large over the plains stood one of his worst fears that had awakened on the site that would have once been made Neo-Midgar. It was Weapon, and it did not look happy. The President's eyes opened wide as everything slowly began to take shape and sink in. The large shoulders of the creature groaned as they opened. The sound was so loud that it could be even heard within his office, and made the windows rattle.

The creature leaned back a little, bracing itself against the energy gathering to its shoulders from the sunlight that glowed high above. The nimbus of light increased as it filtered into the apparatus mounted between the cavity that had opened up in the beast's carapace and formed into small beams that suddenly launched forward, directly at Midgar.

"Shit!" The man yelled, though he was not one to usually use such obscenities. He took one slow step backwards, followed by another, nearly tripping over his feet, the beams of light racing straight for him. He was frozen on the spot and knew that if he did not act fast, he would die. Using his fast reflexes that he had become well known for, the man raced back to his desk and behind it where a trap door lay under the floor beneath the oaken piece of furniture. His slender hands found the catch and furiously worked at it until it gave way with a satisfying click. The hatch retracted in on itself giving the President reason to be grateful that not all the devices in the building ran on the primary source of power; Mako.

The first bolt screeched past the building shattering the glass all along the right side of the office. The crystalline shards collapsed inward tinkling as they fell to the force of the power that Weapon had released upon him. The President of Shinra had no second thoughts about whether or not the tunnel had been maintained against such an emergency. He pushed away from the floor and towards the shoot that had been revealed when the hatch had opened.

The angle of the escape tunnel was sharp so that he fell nearly vertically for a few feet before connecting with the smooth metallic surface that ran off at an angle, below. Above him the first bolt hit the building with such a jarring, bone shattering impact that it shook the very foundations of the structure. Flames raced down the tunnel after him barely missing his back as he flew out the end out over the abandoned slums of Sector 6. The tunnel had not been completed. He fell from a height where flames gushed out of the exit tunnel down towards the hard unrelenting earth that embraced him in a pile of moist wet garbage.

Debris followed soon after, giving him no respite. It crashed around him in a deafening roar. The man crouched, covering his head with his arms yet it was not enough to protect him. He became crushed under the objects that once comprised his home. Pipes burst and gas lines exploded. If he were to survive this, he would be a very lucky man…

…And he had. His eyes opened once more to view the prison that had engulfed him. Dust shifted causing him to go into a painful coughing fit. He wished that he could find something sharp to use to end his life, but his searching hands only found smooth edged objects and items of disinterest. It was futile.

Then it came to him. A muffled sound that cried out in the distance. It must have belonged to someone that had survived, but he wasn't about to get his hopes up. He had experienced like instances in the past that had built up his hope, only to dash it as an egg would lose its yolk when smashed against stone. He was not about to allow this instance to fill him his with the possibility of salvation.

"Is anyone out there?" a voice called. The crunch of something underfoot alerted him to a presence, this time closer. Rufus' heart raced with anticipation. What if it wasn't false this time? What if it was a reality? He struggled against his constraints and yelled out. To his disappointment all that he managed to summon from within was a small choked up sound that didn't even resemble human speech. Yet it did have the necessary effect.

"Hey! Over here! I have found something." The sound of boots stepping carefully upon shaken foundation moved closer to him until a shadow passed over his face. "It's him! He's alive!"

The voice sounded overjoyed but he really couldn't care. The pain was becoming almost too much. He just wanted it to all end. He wished to be away from here.

"The President's alive? What is he doing down here?" Another voice asked a second pair of boots tracking their way through the rubbish.

"Who care. If we save him, we'll be well rewarded!" The first voice responded. The President could feel the weight lift slightly from his legs. The voice, distinctly belonging to a male, was attempting to free him.

"Jesus. Look at this place." A third voice rang out. It was far deeper than that of the other two and the sound of a rifle being shuffled from one shoulder to another indicated that these were soldiers. "It would take a miracle to rebuild Midgar."

The first voice chimed in, cutting out all other forms of conversation. "Nothing will be rebuilt if he dies here. Shinra is in collapse. Heideggar and Scarlett died in the Proud Clod, and the other executives are too scared to publicly show their faces. There will be no more Shinra if President Rufus dies."

There was no more speech, which implied that perhaps the only response was an affirmed nod to the comment. A smile curved Rufus' lips as he felt the weights being shifted from his body. He would survive another day and he would rise like the Phoenix of Fort Condor to take back his company and invoke fear upon the world.


	3. Memory Arise!

The red-white flame of the Cosmo Candle burnt high and proud as those who had saved the world sat around and talked of all they had endured throughout their adventure. Yuffie sat to the right of Nanaki, absently scratching behind his ear as she looked off into the starlit sky with a blank expression on her face. Cid sat to Nanaki's right with a cup of tea in hand, swearing his head off when someone would exaggerate their part of the story. Opposite them sat Tifa and Cloud, snuggled up against each other, Cloud with his strong arms around her waist. Tifa's eyes sparkled whenever Cloud moved his hands that were circled around her. She laughed and joined in the conversation as once again Cloud spoke of how he thought he had first met Sephiroth, and how he found out Sephiroth was evil. The new found love between Cloud and Tifa had not shocked any of the others, as they had seemed to be bought even closer together after the death of Aeris. Barret and Caitsith sat together, speaking of their differences back when they were in their seperate factions of AVALANCHE and ShinRa. They spoke over a game of dice which Caitsith happened to have on him, from the journey. Vincent sat off to the side, alone in the shadows, regarding everyone with his red eyes. Below his upturned collar a small flicker of a smile appeared on his lips because he had finally found them, those he could call 'friends'.  
  
Tifa leaned back into Cloud's comforting grasp. "What are we going to do now?"  
  
"Well there is always the condo in Costa Del Sol" he replied, breathing in her scent as he placed a gentle kiss on the top of her head.  
  
"It is good to finally be done with it all..." Tifa said, sighing.  
  
"But..Aeris..." Cloud began, losing his voice as he remembered the sweet flower girl he had come to know so well.  
  
At the mention of her name, everyone went quiet and the mood turned from one of merry to one of sadness. A somber tone fell over all of them as they remembered the memories they had shared with their dear Aeris. The only sound piercing the silence was the crackling of the Cosmo Candle, as it burnt on, warding away the darkness of the night.  
  
"Aeris" Barret began in reverie "I still can't help but say that it is all my fault, if it wasn't for Marlene being in trouble..."  
  
"But that was in Midgar! Way before we knew Sephiroth even existed!" Tifa yelled. "It is not your fault, if anyones it is JENOVAs!"  
  
Everyone seemed to nod and mutter their agreements as Barret sat in a musing silence, considering the point Tifa had just made. He was soon broken from his thought as from off to the east, above them came the low buzzing sound of an aircraft.  
  
"What's that?" Yuffie excalimed, jumping up from her seated position to gaze off into the darkness in the direction of the sound.  
  
"Cid, where is the Highwind?" Cloud asked, stading and bringing Tifa up with him.  
  
Cid looked around and pointed down off the ridge. "Down there! #^%&! I don't know of any other aircrafts that survived Meteor!"  
  
Yuffie peered off still and then suddenly gasped. "Guys! It's the Tiny Bronco!"  
  
Cid jumped up at this, gripping Yuffie's shoulders tightly. "Are you sure? Where!?"  
  
"Over there!" she replied, pointing to the pink and blue small plane that was slowly growing larger as it came right for them.  
  
"It's coming right for us!" Caitsith yelled.  
  
Everyone scrambled away from the candle, and sought shelter as the Tiny Bronco approached at a fast speed, flying over head and then veering around to come back. As it flew over the candle, Cid could see that the man controlling it had busted up the controls, and the aircraft flew straight towards one of the large wooden windmills that gave power to the people of Cosmo Canyon.  
  
"Everybody, Run!" Cid shouted as the plane slammed into the tower, causing it to splinter into a million pieces which rained down around them. They all hid in small alcoves, under cliff ledges or in doorways as the tower fell, scattering all that it was built of, over the plateu of the canyon. It hit the ground with a large crash, sending vibrations throughout the ground and dust billowed up to shroud the scene.  
  
Tifa coughed behind her hand, hiding under a ledge with Cloud as she peered through the smoke, trying to discover what had happened. And then, as the smoke cleared she seen it. An old man in a white, dusty and torn labcoat, carrying a girl in her arms. The girl wore a pink jacket with iron bound sleeves over a long lighter pink dress. Both were torn, and in desperate need of repair. The woman's skin was pale and looked clammy, and even from where Tifa stood, she could smell the stench. The man collapsed to the ground, onto his knees, dropping his burden from his hands. He was cut up pretty badly, and had suffered some injuries from the crash. Already Tifa could hear Cid swearing his face off as he surveyed the damage done to his plane, which he had thought was destroyed.  
  
Tifa moved towards the man and his burden, slowly, approaching cautiously. When she finally reached them she let out a gasp of suprise. The woman laying on the ground was Aeris, and the man, looked to be someone she thought of as vaguley familiar but couldn't quite place it. She called everyone over to double check to make sure, and to get some workmen from the bar to carry the two bodies off somewhere, where the man could rest, and Aeris could just..well lay there until they found out what the intentions of the man were. Tifa turned to look behind her as Cloud approached, eyes narrowing as he said.  
  
"How dare he!" 


	4. Painful Nightmare

The cold violent winds outside stirred as a small invisable sigh escaped his parch, dry lips. Its howl echoed through the canyon, lending an eerie feeling to the small room he was in. Although he was unaware of it, a woman sat by his bedside, washing his head, removing the sweat whenever he would have a sudden outbreak of a nightmare, a remembrance of that awful day. The lump in his throat, that he tried to swallow pass, slowly grew, as the memories flooded back and swirled into a dream, which haunted him still to this day. Fuzzy at the edges, this time it solidified into a true relived experience, within his head. His body thrashed undernearth the blankets at the memory of it all, the feelings, the pain, the emotion. It hurt him so much to remember it all...  
  
Small flecks of white snow drifted in eddies which circled around Icicle Village, and the small houses in it. It was not unusual for such a thing to happen. The white, wet snow outside was quiet, and pure, as the children who once played on it, were now in their houses, oblivous to the fact as of why, as a storm approached. He stood there, playing with his equipment, tampering with afew cords deep in the back of his recording device. A blue wire was held in his left hand, and scissors in his right, as he attempted to reconnect the USB video signal to the small television above his head, in the corner of the roof.  
  
As he worked, he soon felt warm gentle hands wrap around his waist, and knew immedietly that it was his wife, Ifalna. Ifalna was the last surviving Ancient in this world, and was a very confused woman. She could hear the whispers of the planet, and it's never ending cry for help. Sometimes she would sit alone, at the table, staring off blankly, and then scream, clutching her head in her hands. The life of an Ancient must have been a hard one, he had thought, and that was why he had married her, brought her here, and gave life to thier baby daughter. They both shared alot of the same thoughts, and theories, and had found Icicle Village to be a nice secluded spot, away from the meddling of Shinra Inc.  
  
He could feel her shift, as her full pink lips found his neck and tenderly kissed it. He hated it when she did that, because when she did, all he wanted to do was race straight for the bed, with her in tow. But now that they had a daughter, they had to be more careful.  
  
Suddenly a knock sounds at the door, and Ifalna's arms relaxed at his waist.  
  
"Ifalna, dear. Would you mind getting that?" he asked her. Her sigh told him that she would, but hated the thought of being parted from him for even one second. Gast chuckled at this, but then froze. Who would be knocing on their door, when a storm was approaching. Surely no-one from the village would be that stupid. He could hear the sound of the lock being slid out of place and the door opened, and it finally hit him; Shinra.  
  
But by then it was to late. He turned to see the butt of a rifle slam into Ifalna's stomach, the end turning up to meet her chin. With a swift kick, the soldier in blue had her sliding across the floor to thump into the wall, head slumped to her chest. She was out cold. He screamed in anguish and ran to Ifalna's side, kneeling before her, to check her pulse. Although it was faint, he found it, there, barely. He wished there was something he could do for her, but he couldn't. The sound of boots marching into his house sounded, followed by the clack of high heels.  
  
"Kya Ha Ha Ha! My, my, my! What a nice little establishment you have here Gast. Mind if I come in? It is a little cold out there!" a woman's voice sounded.  
  
Gast stood and turned, glad that his daughter was off at a friends house. His cold grey eyes met the piercing gaze of the female in red. She wore a red, scanty dress that revealed the top of her cleavage, and her legs, as two strips of fine red material ran down, before and behind her from the waist down, seperated to show her seductive legs. She had blonde hair that was pulled up behind her head, with tresses falling to her shoulders, before them. Gast looked into her cold blue eyes, on her pale and beautiful face, daring to defy her grace.  
  
"How could you! How dare you! No, you can not come in, and of course it's cold-" his eyes looked up and down her body "-just look at what you are wearing! You are a foolish woman Scarlett!"  
  
The woman named Scarlett narrowed her gaze at him, at the insult.  
  
"Gast, my poor little Gast. Running away after you failed to stop the JENOVA project. I am sure Hojo is pleased to find that you are still alive...but not for long." she mocked.  
  
"Scarlett! What do you think you are doing! You have no right to come here!" Gast fumed.  
  
Scarlett clicked her tongue at him, in disagreement and then her fingers at the soldiers nodding towards the machine, over beside her. A soldier immedietly was over there, accessing its database.  
  
"I have merely come to collect your notes on our little project, and also on the so called 'Ancient'. My other task is this..." she trailed off, snapping her finger again as she pointed at Gast.  
  
The remaining soldiers obeyed immedietly, and began firing at Gast. The sound was like a buzz of angry hornets, and he was not sure why he could not feel pain. Then it hit him, taking him off his feet, to slam into the wall, beside Ifalna. Where he slid, a crimson trail of sickly wet blood followed. His world span as he tried to focus his thoughts.  
  
With the last of his strength, his forced his mind to form a thought and send it to Ifalna, via some Materia he held in his armlet.  
  
"Ifalna, go! Take Aeris with you, go far far away!"  
  
Before his world dissapeared, he heard Scarlett's mocking laugh.  
  
"Strip him. I want him found with NO Materia! Just so he can't somehow manage to heal himself. Oh, how sad will everyone be, Proffesor Gast, dead..." she laughed again, as the soldiers done as bid, collected any information that was required, as they ransacked the house, then left.  
  
...his memory collapsed as he could bear it no longer. He dared not remember what happened after that, else he'd die from the pain of it all.  
  
His cold grey eyes snapped open to take in large beautiful brown eyes, belonging to a girl with a large bust, and large brown eyes. She leaned over him, washing his forehead with a wet cloth, as he watched her. She wore a tight white shirt, tucked into female fashioned overalls, that were designed especially for her, so as not to restrict her movement in battle. Her long brown hair fell down her back, tied in a blue circle of metal.  
  
A deep sense of curiosity floated behind her eyes, as if she were wondering who this strange man was. He decided that he could trust her, so formed the words to speak in a dry, raspy voice.  
  
"Aeris ... she is safe?" he asked.  
  
The girl nodded.  
  
"She is beside you, over there" she told him, pointing behind him. He would have looked if he could, but knew that Aeris would still be as she was when he found her. Cold and dead.  
  
"I need you ... to do something for me." he asked. "It will make things much easier, and quicker for when I get better ... I need you to go to Bungenhagen's room, and find his message, left for me behind the thickest book on his shelf. I request that you recover Aeris' Materia from Forgotten Capital. I ask that you retrieve Sephiroth's masamune from his deep, mako filled grave. And I implore you find a pinion of a gold chocobo. Bring these things back to me, when I am well, and I will reveal to you, my purpose ... but please, I now need rest." he sighed, and closed his eyes.  
  
Tifa stood, trying to remember what the man had said. She nodded absently to herself as she checked everything off in her head, and hurried out of the inn to tell everyone of the old mans strange request. 


	5. Renewel of Dissonance

The light pierced the darkened nerves of his frail mind, like a hot knife through flesh. His senses stirred and spun as his head collected the broken pieces together, in his mind. They were pieced together, bit by bit, like a string of events, or a large jigsaw puzzle. Pain flushed through his mind and his body, as it did so, torturing the very essence of his life. His hands clenched and uncleanched, his toes wriggled and sweat ran in rivers off his fair brow. On the mend, his eyes slowly opened and he struggled to sit up. Even in the worst times, he cared about himself, and brushed a frail hand through his bright blonde hair. His cold blue eyes, now more pale than icy scanned his surrondings as he propped himself up against the pillows at his back, allowing the sheet to fall to his lap, revealing the fine contours of his torso.  
  
Everywhere was blue, resembling his eyes. Blue curtains, blue carpet, blue rugs and even blue sheets. He struggled against the throbbing pain in his mind, to adjust to the warm summer light that streamed in through a large open window. A soft, gentle breeze blew in, from the sea, sending the curtains sailing and giving him a sense of renewel, of life and mind. It cooled the sweat on his body, drying it to his chest, and forehead, yet still glistening in the early morning light.  
  
A light click and the door opening, alerted him to another presence, and he brushed his hand again through his hair self-consciously, hoping that he still was appealing to the eyes of all. The darkness beyond the opening admitted a short, plump man with greying hair. He carried a silver platter on which rested a tea pot, two porcelain tea cups on saucers, a silver milk jug, a small plate piled with sugar lumps, and some silver tea spoons. He closed the door with the back of his foot, and shuffled to the table, beside the bed, placing the tray upon it. His eyes scanned the room for somewhere to sit, and found a richly carved, laurel designed wooden chair. He quickly collected it and bought it over to sit beside his president.  
  
As he sat, his hands moved to the platter and he began to work. His chubby hand grabbed one of the delicate cups, and he gently placed the sugar within. The tea followed, after he spun the pot three times to mix the flavour through the water. Milk was last, and was stirred in with finesse and ease. His grey eyes looked up and finally found his boss' as he handed him the small cup and worked at making his own tea. The man took it in his hands, saucer and tea cup. His pale lips found the rim of the cup and took a small sip, being scalded for the rashness and swiftness of him drinking the hot beverage. He lowered the saucer and cup back onto the table beside him, before collecting his words in an effort to speak.  
  
"Thankyou Palmer" he told his chubby subservient.  
  
"It is my pleasure Mr. Rufus" he replied, cheerily, a little to Rufus' distaste. "I am only glad to see you safe and well, after the accident."  
  
Rufus remembered it now, and raised his arms in front of his face, his eyes tracing out the scars along his once perfect arms. His hands turned to run over his defined chest and stomach, both smooth, but for the scars that burnt there too. He hated himself now, for how he now appeared. He placed his face into his hands, scrubbing them down his smooth skin. Oh, how he abhorred himself now. It was beyond a doubt that he would never be able to attract another to his bed again. His days of romance and love were over.  
  
"Where is Scarlett and Heideggar?" his scratchy voice came out, still a little weak.  
  
Palmer looked sheepish as he figited with the small silver buttons on the cuff of his sleeves. "They are both dead, sir. Cloud killed them, along with the Proud Clod."  
  
Rufus' eyes narrowed upon the mention of his nemisis. How he hated that blonde haired man so. Had he the strength in his arms, his teacup would be sailing across the room, to slam into the wall and shatter into a million jagged pieces. His frustration was vented only by taking another sip of the hot scalding tea.  
  
"You know how much gil went into that project?" he asked Palmer, with a little more strength to his voice as he set the cup back to saucer.  
  
Palmer's eyes darted around the room, never staying in one position as he brought forth his meek words. "Yes sir, alot."  
  
"Those fools just cost me more time and effort than they were worth! Useless puppets, they deserved what they got! What about Midgar?" He asked, with his voice growing stronger by the minute. Maybe as a result of the tea.  
  
"Rubble." Palmer replied, looking away.  
  
Rufus brushed a hand through his hair once more. "Well where am I?"  
  
"Junon"  
  
"How does it fair?"  
  
"The Sister Ray is gone, and inoperable. Damage to the prison sector has been so severe that it would have to be removed. The shutters took on most of the damage from Weapon, so are damaged too, but the houses and buildings are fine. Most repairs that need doing are minor, but will cost gil." Palmer laid out the report for Rufus.  
  
Rufus considered the words then responded with authority. "Do it!"  
  
Palmer nodded as he began to pack up the tea cups, after they were finished. Before he left the room, Rufus asked one more thing. "Who rescued me?"  
  
"Lieutenant John, sir. From Sector 7." Came his cheery reply.  
  
"Send him in!" Rufus demanded, his voice back to normal.  
  
"Yes, sir! At once!" Palmer scurried out of the room, nearly dropping the tray. But before he reached the door Rufus' voice penetrated his ears again.  
  
"Oh, and Palmer? While you are at it, wipe that silly grin off your face, would you?" 


	6. The Real TURK Blues

Author's Notes:  
  
Disclaimer: The characters mentioned within this chapter belong to Square Inc, and as such are not credited to me. The settings belong to Square too, and I make no profit off this fic.  
  
Chapter 5: The Real TURK Blues  
  
The spicy liquid slid easily from the shot glass, to his stomach as he took it in one gulp. It burned on the way down, but it sure made him feel good. Better than what fighting that spiky-assed hero did, or working for Shinra. This was his tenth shot, yet still he held his balance in check, and did not fall from the stool he sat on, before the worn counter.  
  
To his left sat a tall man in a blue business suit. His name was Rude, a man of little words and even little patience. He had been defeated afew times by Cloud's gang, for being reckless, and was determined to not let it happen again. To the man's right, sat Elena, a feisty blonde haired girl that spoke too much for her own good. The perky attitude she now took, signalled to him that she was about to speak, opening her mouth. He was quicker though, and shot a bullet through her tounge.  
  
"Not now, Elena, I find it hard enough to escape reality, without you slicing through it with your idol chatter!" he told her bluntly, downing another shot glass of Wutai's Rum.  
  
Beside him, Rude chuckled to himself, obviously amused by their leader's comment. He too was drinking, but more slowly, with a glass of Bundy in one hand, as the index finger of his left hand, traced the grooves of the counter, before them.  
  
"But that little thief stole my bracelet, Reno! A Minerva Band is not easy to come by, it was-" she began, being rudely cut off.  
  
"Irrelevant! Now if you would kindly talk to the wall beside you, I'd like to take my trip to hell now" Reno coldly expressed his concern for her material wealth, and loss.  
  
Rude muttered afew words to himself, barely audible. He tended to do that alot, no matter whose presence he was in. He was never really an open person, and kept to himself alot.  
  
Elena's face turned sour at not recieving any sympathy. She turned her stool, to place her back to Reno, and took a sip of her drink. The fan above them rotated slowly above them, keeping the bar, Turtle's Paradise, cool and bearable as opposed to the heat outside. The TURKs has found Wutai had the best bar, because it had the least tourists. The bar was small, and walls made of wood with outer paper material covering, giving it a semi- japanese look. The village was a back water one, and had been ever since the great war between Shinra and the nobles of the town. Now the town had hardly any Materia, and was good for nothing, but escape.  
  
Reno slammed his shot glass down on the counter before him suddenly, bringing the attention of Rude and Elena to him.  
  
"Dammit! Why must we be up shit creek without a paddle?" he asked himself more than the others, yet Elena felt inclined to answer.  
  
"It's Avalanche. Because of them we are stuck here. Because of them we are out of work!"she complained.  
  
"Because of them, we lost Tseng!" Reno added angrily, his fist tightening around the shot glass, threatening to break it.  
  
"Reno! I know! I found him, bloodied upon the ground in the temple of Ancients, with a sword wound. I still can not sleep at night. He may have looked peaceful in death, but it surely would have been painful. I have nightmares even now, thinking of it." she recounted, and explained.  
  
Reno dropped the glass and slid his hands down his face, scrubbing it, then bringing them back to brush through his fine hair. They were nothing now, and meant nothing to anyone. He was stumped on what they could do to get them out of this mess.  
  
Suddenly a sound rang out from Rude's pocket, repeating over and over. Rude was quick to remove a small device and place it against his ear. "Yes?" he answered, in an emotionless tone.  
  
Elena and Reno turned to him as he spoke, hummed and nodded to the person on the other end of the PHS, a small communication device.  
  
"Who is it, Rude?" Elena asked, all perked up. Rude just issued her a signaled command with his hand That told her to be quiet.  
  
Once he had finished, and replaced the PHS in his pocket, he finally composed himself to speak. Though he did not say much, the looks on both Reno's and Elena's faces brightened like a sun rising over the horizon defiantly. Short and brief, his words were.  
  
"We have been recalled." 


	7. A Return of Faith

**Cetra Reunion: Chapter 6**

_**A Return of Faith**_

_Copyrighted to Astian Leslie Hannan 2005._

_Disclaimer: The characters contained within this fanfic, Cetra Reunion, are entirely fictitious and in no way resemble people in real life. All resemblences are entirely coincidental. Square-Enix owns all rights to the characters and locations of Final Fantasy VII. All other characters and locations belong to me._

_Author's Notes: Okay, I haven't updated in what seems like an eternity. Spank me later. This chapter is the one that initiates the quest to revive Aeris. Yes, this is another revive Aeris fic, but I think it's better than the rest, personally. Maybe because I wrote it. shrugs Constructive criticism is much appreciated, and will cause me to continue writing. I'll get to the end eventually. Enjoy! _

--

She came down the stairs in a rush of leaps and bounds. It was surprising that she didn't plunge herself off some of the precarious bluffs, or, so she thought. On the way, she knocked over one of the elders of the Canyon, not even stopping to help him up. Oh, she knew she would be reprimanded and possibly put in seclusion, but that was for worrying over later. For now, she had a purpose that superseded that of a simple apology. A goal was firmly set in her mind, and nothing would deter her from it.

Exiting the man-made cavern, she pulled up short at the wreckage of the Tiny Bronco. It still sat smoldering, in millions of pieces, but Cid was in amongst it, salvaging what he could to rebuild it later. Tifa could see that he had gathered some of the scholars of machinery to aid him. With a little time, and careful reconstruction, Tifa knew that the Tiny Bronco would be back in working order. Oh, how she would love to ride on that craft, and soar among the skies, with the wind whipping her hair. It, too, would have to wait.

She jumped up and down, waving her gloved hands in the air, in an attempt to gather the other's attention. They all stopped what they were doing and turned to view her making a complete fool of herself. With a quick blush, she stopped and took a step forward. Cloud was sitting on the edge of one of the cliffs, his legs hanging dangerously over the side. His face was in his hands, and he didn't seem to have responded to her actions. She marched over to him with hands on her hips, and peered down over his shoulder.

"What are you doing?"

Cloud shook his head, as if trying to rid himself of old demons. Inside his mind, she knew he was fighting ghosts of the past. Tifa began to wonder if he'd ever get rid of them.

"Why…" Cloud murmured, standing to face her. His gauntleted fist gripped the hilt of his Buster Sword. "Why bring up the past? I thought it was over. I thought I was rid of it all. Aeris is gone, we must all move on!" he slashed at the air as if to dispatch benevolent spirits. Tifa was forced to take a step back or face losing a vital organ. Cloud's eyes had gone milky again. It was as if he wasn't even entirely there. His eyes narrowed to slits and his gaze settled upon her.

"Why? Why did you bring it back?" He took a threatening step towards her, but she held her ground. "I think I might have to kill that man. He has no right…"

A slap echoed out across the canyon and a reddening mark bloomed upon Cloud's cheek. His weapon fell from a hand gone numb with shock. Tifa recoiled and went to slap him again. It seemed the only way to knock sense into him. But, she stopped short when his eyes returned to their normal blue-green. She kind of felt sorry for him, the mark spreading across his cheek. She could remember how it felt to be slapped. After all, that hussy of a Shinra executive had nearly slapped her right off the Sister Ray of Junon, and into the ocean. She would never forget the day that she nearly died at the hands of Scarlett. Her cheek had ached for weeks after that episode. The only satisfaction she got from it was the fact that she knew that Scarlett would have been feeling the same. Not that it made her feel guilty, or anything.

"Cloud! Pull yourself together!" she practically shouted at him. "Aeris is dead, true. That's in the past. But that man knows how to revive her!"

It was awhile before she could get the rest of what she was to say, out of her mouth. Barret practically stumbled over his own tongue, asking questions, as usual, to which she did not have practical answers for. Cid even stopped the assessment of his aircraft; to stare at her, wide eyed. Vincent stood with his arms crossed, the breeze flailing his cape out behind him, and Yuffie sank to her knees, unable to even contemplate the possibility.

Everyone was shocked, and everyone had questions. Tifa waved them off, and continued.

"The man told me that Bungenhagen has the knowledge to revive a person that has died from the verge of a rage of hated blood. He knows the secrets of the planet, and knows how to call back lost souls. Those of which have not yet accomplished what they were born to do, in life." At this, Nanaki looked at the sky in wonder, speaking his thoughts aloud.

"So that's it. That is what the Gi tribe were after all that time. They wanted the secrets of my grandfather. And father and mother died, defending that secret." He howled in grief.

Cloud stepped forward again, and grabbed Tifa's shoulders, looking deep into her brown eyes. "But Bungenhagen is dead. How can we possibly achieve this, if the man that knows this, is gone?"

"Nanaki carries his grandfather's blood. And besides, Bungenhagen had all the secrets written down in a hidden study, according to the man. There are also a few things that are necessary to bring Aeris back to us. Items that were detrimental to the causes and effects of the death are needed, along with a chocobo's gold feather." She let them think on that a little, and realise what had to be done before stating the obvious. "We need the true masamune, and the Holy Materia." She looked everyone in the eyes as she mentioned the required items. They all nodded grimly. Cloud removed his hands from her shoulders and dropped them to his sides. He looked at the ground for a time, as if to discern the answers from the planet itself. Then he regained himself and put on that cocky stance he used so often, one foot placed before the other and a hand stationed defiantly upon his hip. The other hand went quickly through his hair, brushing the loose strands from his eyes.

"Everyone! I would like to apologise for actions in the past, and actions that may happen in the future. Though we defeated Sephiroth's mother, JENOVA, in the North Crater, her cells still dwell within me, and I have not yet won the battle. I hope you will all be able to bear with me, and help me along the way." Everyone nodded and mentioned that they would, "In regards to the items that were mentioned, I'd like Tifa to go and reclaim the true masamune. I am sure if we contact Reeve, he'll be able to help you. He has access to all of Shinra's databases and should easily be able to locate the last time Sephiroth was seen in action with that blade, minus the fabricated rumours. I believe it will be somewhere around Nibelheim. And Tifa, it will give you a chance to return home again." She nodded at this. To go home again and remember all the good times would be great. It would also be nice to get over all the painful memories.

"I would like to go and retrieve the Holy Materia from the waterbed of Forgotten City. It would give me some time to think, and I'd like Vincent to come with me. I think he'll find some of the answers to his questions there as well." Vincent uncrossed his arms, but gave no indication of agreement. His lips stayed in a thin line that hinted at apathy. "Finally. Barrett and Yuffie can go after the Gold Chocobo feather. It will give you a chance to see Marlene in Kalm, before you go to the Chocobo farm to start an investigation into retrieving a feather. And, maybe you'll find some Materia on the way?" he shrugged his shoulders, as he always did. Yuffie and Barret nodded their ascent. They had no problems with it. "Not forgetting Cid. You can stay here and repair the Tiny Bronco. Nanaki can find the hidden study of Bungenhagen's and prepare for our return. I wish you all luck in your search. You will all get a P.H.S so you can call the Highwind when you have completed your mission. Get some rest for now, and we will all leave on the morrow. We will return Aeris to us!" Everyone let up a cheer, and raised their fists to the sky, or paws in Nanaki's case. Yes, they would get Aeris back, and then they would become Avalanche once more, in the memory of Biggs, Wedge and Jessie. They would scour the world of the Shinra scum and bring in a new era. One free of the use of Mako, and corruption. Tifa frowned inwardly. With the return of Aeris, would it draw Cloud away from her again? She shook her head as she decided.

No, it wouldn't.

_She_ wouldn't let it.


	8. Dire News

Cetra Reunion: Chapter 7

**_Dire News_**

_Copyrighted to Astian Leslie Hannan 2005._

_Disclaimer: The characters contained within this fanfic, Cetra Reunion, are entirely fictitious and in no way resemble people in real life. All resemblances are entirely coincidental. Square-Enix owns all rights to the characters and locations of Final Fantasy VII. All other characters and locations belong to me._

_Author's Notes: I know. Spank me, because this has been awhile in coming but I have just been so damned busy. I can't promise that the next update will be soon because I am still deciding on which perspective to write from next. Know that all the chapters will eventually convene to where there will be a few from the same perspective/party but for now I need to establish the charaters. And man, do I have to play FFVII again. I need to find a copy of it TT. Anyway, I hope you enjoy._

--

The breeze that blew in off the harbour of Junon was one that even reached the dizzying heights of the opened window that Rufus now stood before. Far below his room, the ocean churned and boiled, reminding him of the condition the ocean was in when Sapphire Weapon had attacked on that fateful day. He had survived that attack, and also the attack of Diamond Weapon. If none had called him lucky before, then they surely would now. In that time, true to his nature, not a single tear had been shed. It was often said that no one had ever seen him cry or bleed. The former was true, but the latter seemed of late, to be a lie. He would have to amend that.

A gentle knock upon the door took his attention from the violent ocean to the plump figure that entered through the opening doorway. Once more it was Palmer and this time he not only bought tea, but also bagels. A fitting distraction from the injuries that Rufus was currently recovering from. With a little effort the President moved back to his poster bed where the blankets were in disarray from his attempt to exit them earlier this morning. His palm found the corner of one of the sheets and lifted it off the floor, lifting his leg to slip in beneath it and allow it to fall upon his form. A gentle click was the only sound that came from Palmer as he placed the tray he carried upon a polished wooden table and set about distributing the right amounts of sugar, lard and milk into the two ornate cups to brew an aromatic tea.

"What news from below?" Rufus broke the silence, shifting his weight around in the bed until he found a position that was comforting.

The executive member of the ShinRa Space Program stopped what he was doing and placed the small silver tongs upon the tray then turned to meet the President's eyes.

"Everyone is in a state of low morale. Not many know that you are alive. The news was passed off as a mere rumour to try to win power back to the ShinRa Company. Riots have begun over the last week so the damage repair team can not get close enough to the shutters for more than five minutes without being disturbed. It seems that Reeve has disappeared too. Of the board of directors, only I remain. It seems we are finished-"

"Silence!" Rufus cut him of with a crisp single word that rang in the room even after the man's mouth had closed. His hands tightened upon the sheets below them, cuffing them into a crinkled mess. He commanded a great presence, of respect and dignity. Though things looked bad for his position now, he knew that to rectify the situation, he would have to prove to his people that he still existed. He needed to bring fear back into their hearts. In his present condition he knew that no such thing would be happening any time soon. However there were ways around all difficulties. One but had to find them. "Have the Turks arrived yet?"

Palmer dry washed his hands, as he was often want to do when nervous. It was a trait that annoyed the President much like the laughs of both Heideggar and Scarlet, but they were gone now and he needn't worry about that pestilence anymore.

"Well, yes they have. They wish to see you, but I told them that you were in no condition to-"

"Go get them now! Get the boardroom prepared. I'll see to them myself. Make sure you have refreshments provided, and the windows open. The fresh air is doing me good, I think."

Palmer jumped to attention immediately, without so much as a single word spoken against Rufus' wishes. He moved rather quickly for a man of his bulk and was out of sight before Rufus had a chance to say anything more. The man may be whimsical and lacking in common sense at times, but when the situation arose and a need came for logical, rational thought Rufus knew that he could depend on the man. After all, he was the only one that hadn't gotten himself killed or abandoned post. Although he had come close to dying once that time in Rocket Town when the ShinRa truck had hit him. Rufus guessed that the man's size was what had saved him, and perhaps the lard that had been packed into the man's tea prior to his attempt to steal the Tiny Bronco from Cid's house. Rufus could not picture himself as being so lucky were he to be in that situation. As it was, he was no moron, slapping his ass in front of Avalanche. How very prudent of Palmer that had seemed. He had quite enjoyed reading the incident report for _that_ case.

A sly smile twisted the President's lips. Everything would fall into place and he would be restored to power. The Turks would be his voice and his strength. They would make sure that order was restored to Junon. After all, wasn't Reno's favorite bar located within the precinct of the large metallic city below? He would be enraged to hear that it was under siege by mere peasants. Oh yes, ShinRa would prevail. Rufus' eyes narrowed as he turned his gaze back toward the sea and to the north where the power that had once surpassed ShinRa had existed. Maybe he's father's vision had not been so stupid after all. The Promised Land… a place full of Mako abundance. Yes, it was all beginning to make sense and clarify itself to him. It would be there that he would end up. The chocobos had been set in motion and the ultimate destination was within sight upon the horizon.

Rufus rose from the bed once more and closed the window, setting the curtains to stillness. He had a meeting to attend. It was one that would accelerate his plans. At least Avalanche activities had died down and that was one less thing to contend with.

"Avalanche, perhaps they died in that infernal Crater?"

His lips twisted into a smirk. It had to be so. It was a certainty.


End file.
